Brazilian V8 Stock Cars: Learning a new track. On the wet

Longer than Interlagos, tricky and with few run-off areas. Drivers expect a challenging round in Minas Gerais, as Argentina’s Nestor Girolami sets the pace on Friday

The drivers had an extra challenge this Friday during the first day of activities for the 11th round of Brazilian V8 Stock Cars, which is being held at the city of Curvelo, Minas Gerais. The ‘Circuito dos Cristais’ racetrack comprehends a 4.420-km circuit - longer than Interlagos, for example -, and is new for everyone in the field. Besides having to learn a new, 18-corner track, the competitors had to do it in the wet.

After the shakedown and the extra session, cars could hit the tarmac on a dry surface. Laptimes dropped, and Eisenbahn’s racer Nestor Girolami set the fastest lap with a 1min52s593. "The team gave me a good car, easy to handle, and this is important when you are learning a new track", said the Argentinian, who was only 0s073 quicker than Marcos Gomes.

The scenario is no different to what Girolami has been used to this season. The twice-Super TC2000 champion in his native Argentina had to learn almost every track from the Stock Car calendar - the only exceptions were Interlagos and Goiânia, where he had raced on last year.

"During the whole year I’ve been using the first free practices to get used to the circuits, so it is no different for me now - I think this is the first time I go to the car having no disadvantage regarding the other competitors", he said, praising the features of the track. "I liked it. It is very technical and demanding".